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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27493930">bright things (like the cosmos)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/miramiro/pseuds/miramiro'>miramiro</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>familiarity (of you, me, us) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Developing Relationship, Family Dinners, Getting Together, KunTen Domesticity, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan &amp; Mark Lee Are Best Friends, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:48:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,853</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27493930</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/miramiro/pseuds/miramiro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“It’s not a date,” Donghyuck tells Mark, as he pulls off the fuzzy cardigan he has layered his plain white t-shirt with and tosses it over his shoulder. It misses burrito-blanket Mark by mere inches. </p><p>“It’s not <em>not</em> a date,” Mark states, eyes glued to the laptop screen with one earbud in his ear while the other hangs loose near his clavicle—terribly tangled but hidden behind the blanket—so he can pay a quarter of his attention to Donghyuck. “Besides, what are you so nervous about? It’s just Yangyang.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Liu Yang Yang, Side Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>familiarity (of you, me, us) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2009173</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>196</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>bright things (like the cosmos)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A self-indulgent sequel to 'strange things'; reading the previous instalment is recommended as several references are made to it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“It’s not a date,” Donghyuck tells Mark, as he pulls off the fuzzy cardigan he has layered his plain white t-shirt with and tosses it over his shoulder. It misses burrito-blanket Mark by mere inches. </p><p>“It’s not <em> not </em> a date,” Mark states, eyes glued to the laptop screen with one earbud in his ear while the other hangs loose near his clavicle—terribly tangled but hidden behind the blanket—so he can pay a quarter of his attention to Donghyuck. “Besides, what are you so nervous about? It’s just Yangyang.”</p><p>“Please. This isn’t me being nervous,” Donghyuck scoffs, as he tries on his leather jacket and critically analyses himself in front of the mirror. Too biker-boy for a home-visit. Nope. Won’t do. Donghyuck huffs and takes off the leather jacket, haphazardly folding it in frustration. “This is me trying to look my best—” Donghyuck continues.</p><p>“For Yangyang,” Mark drawls. This time, Donghyuck aims for blanket-blob Mark and the leather jacket hits him on the side of his face. He topples over from the force of it.</p><p>“As I was saying,” Donghyuck says, ignoring Mark’s grunts as he tries to extricate himself from his fabric prison to retaliate. “This is me trying to look my best the way I <em> always </em>strive to. It’s got nothing to do with Yangyang.”</p><p>Mark sighs, having given up on revenge, content with straightening himself enough to be able to watch the thriller he is only half-watching. “Okay, Hyuck. I believe you.”</p><p>Smoothening the nonexistent creases on his light-blue denim jacket, Donghyuck turns to glare at Mark. “Stop being fucking patronizing.”</p><p>Mark rolls his eyes. “As you say, Hyuck.” </p><p>Donghyuck glares harder at him, but loses steam in a few seconds, choosing instead to flop onto Mark’s bed and burrow into his side. </p><p>“You’ll wrinkle your clothes,” Mark observes.</p><p>“I don’t care. I’ll just cancel,” Donghyuck mumbles into Mark’s blanket. It’s warm against his cheek. The prospect of staying at home with Mark and mindlessly watching the sad excuse for a thriller Mark is invested in after changing into his pajamas seems more appealing than his not-date with Yangyang.</p><p>“Donghyuck.” Mark nudges him through the blanket, but Donghyuck does not budge. “Get off, Hyuck. You’ll be late,” Mark reminds him, shoving at him harder so Donghyuck is forced to move away lest Mark’s bony elbow take out his eye.</p><p>“Alright,” Donghyuck whines, standing up and going over to the mirror to take in the damage he has done to his outfit. It’s nothing more than the slight wrinkles and creases inevitably formed due to wearing a garment and moving around in it. Donghyuck nearly sighs in relief. His stupidity might have caused a spike in his stress levels had his outfit been beyond salvaging—after all the time he spent choosing it—but thanks to Mark, everything is fine and dandy.</p><p>Except for Donghyuck.</p><p>“Maaark,” he whines again, seating himself on the bed again, like a civilized person this time. “What if I fuck it up?”</p><p>“Thought you said it isn’t a date?” Mark retorts.</p><p>Donghyuck hits him with a combination of angry, furrowed eyebrows and an exaggerated pout. Mark blinks at him and sighs. He tussles with his blanket again before managing to free himself enough to move his hands around. Pressing the lid of his laptop shut and keeping his earphones aside, Mark wiggles so he is facing Donghyuck.</p><p>“Okay. What’s bothering you?” Mark asks, kindly, because he obviously cares about his best friend, and also because Donghyuck wouldn’t hesitate to hit him when he is in this mood.</p><p>“It’s not Yangyang, before you jump to conclusions,” Donghyuck declares. Mark puts his hands up, conceding</p><p>In a smaller voice, Donghyuck continues, “It’s Kun. And Ten.”</p><p>Mark frowns. “What about them?”</p><p>“What about them?!” Donghyuck repeats, scandalized that Mark even needs the explanation. “Mark, they know all about my crush on Ten, and how I stopped being friends with Yangyang. What if they hate me?”</p><p>“I don’t think they hate you,” Mark muses. “Might think you’re incredibly stupid, though.” </p><p>Donghyuck shoots him a look of absolute betrayal, so Mark laughs lightly and appeases him with, “Hyuckie, they wouldn’t invite you to their house if they hated you.”</p><p>“And what if they actually think I’m stupid for everything I did?” Donghyuck genuinely looks so sad, Mark draws him into an embrace. </p><p>Donghyuck buries his face in the crook of Mark’s neck, letting his body relax as Mark runs his hands up and down Donghyuck’s back to soothe him. It works like Mark knows it would. Donghyuck exhales heavily, letting the tension seep out of his body.</p><p>“You weren’t stupid for feeling the way you did, Hyuck,” Mark says softly, simply holding Donghyuck steadily now. “Nobody thinks badly of you for it.”</p><p>Donghyuck separates from him. He opens his mouth to speak when he hears a ping. Pulling his phone out of the back pocket of his jeans, Donghyuck’s eyes widen at the message he reads.</p><p>“Shit, Yangyang is downstairs,” Donghyuck cries, jumping off the bed and shoving his phone back into his pocket. He goes to the mirror once again to fiddle with his hair.</p><p>“It’ll be fine, Donghyuck,” Mark reassures him. “They’ll love you.”</p><p>“I hope so,” Donghyuck blurts, and then colours at the implication. </p><p>Mark coughs to hide his laughter. Donghyuck is too busy fretting over his accessories to notice him.</p><p>"You'll be home late?" Mark asks him as Donghyuck shoves his wallet and keys in his pocket.</p><p>"Um," Donghyuck hesitates. "Don't say anything. But Yangyang asked me to spend the night."</p><p>"Oh? Moving fast—” Mark smirks, but Donghyuck’s murderous glare quells his mirth. </p><p>“It’s because their house is an hour away, plus traffic, so it makes sense to stay over,” Donghyuck says crossly. Mark mimes zipping his mouth shut. </p><p>Donghyuck inhales and exhales deeply. “Right, gonna go now,” he says, walking to the door. “You can stop me if you like.”</p><p>Mark laughs. “I’m not going to enable your self-sabotaging tendencies, Hyuckie.”</p><p>“Fine,” Donghyuck states, pulling the door open with force. “Bye, now. Watch something other than trash, Mark.”</p><p>“Hey, it’s fun!” Mark calls out, but Donghyuck has already shut the door. Mark can hear him thundering down the stairs.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Donghyuck forces himself to slow down as he walks across the lobby. He doesn’t want to look too eager or too frantic—both of which Donghyuck is feeling immensely. As he steps out of his building, he spots Yangyang leaning against his black hatchback. Yangyang looks up from his phone, as if having sensed Donghyuck’s presence, and smiles, raising an arm to wave at him.</p><p>Yangyang is so pretty, Donghyuck’s heart nearly stops beating before it starts hammering at twice the normal speed. He gulps and plasters a tiny smile on his face as he power-walks over to his friend. Friend? Potential Boyfriend? Donghyuck wishes he knew.</p><p>“Hey, Donghyuck!” Yangyang greets him warmly, opening his arms for a hug. Donghyuck barrels into him, burying his face in Yangyang’s neck even as the other boy lets out an involuntary breath as the air is knocked out of him. Donghyuck wraps his arms around Yangyang’s waist, the material of his bomber jacket smooth to the touch.</p><p>Yangyang holds him close, swaying gently, imperceptibly, and Donghyuck—breathing in the scent of Yangyang’s cologne—thinks he wouldn’t mind staying like this forever. Before the errant thought can settle in his mind, Donghyuck abruptly breaks out of the embrace in shock. Yangyang blinks at him.</p><p>“Oh, um,” Donghyuck falters. “We’ll be late.”</p><p>Yangyang quirks an eyebrow up but smiles easily. “Let’s go, then.” He opens the door for Donghyuck and seats himself in front of the wheel as Donghyuck puts on his seatbelt. </p><p>“Any musical preferences?” Yangyang asks. </p><p>“Michael Jackson,” Donghyuck says firmly just as Yangyang asks, “Michael Jackson?”</p><p>Donghyuck feels a burst of something in his chest. Happiness, perhaps. Yangyang is crowing about how he was right and how Donghyuck hasn’t changed at all, but Donghyuck ignores it in favour of stamping down the growing blush on his cheeks. </p><p>Yangyang puts on Billie Jean as he drives and lets Donghyuck have his solo moments as he croons the song, and joins him only for the chorus. They raucously scream ‘Billie Jean is not my lover!’ and Yangyang sings the instrumental while Donghyuck ad-libs. They burst into laughter as the song fades away and into Beat It.</p><p>Donghyuck starts singing immediately, but his ears pick up Yangyang beatboxing under his breath, and he can’t help but smile. It is so easy to like Yangyang—it only took them a week of texting after the party to hit it off again, to start going on friend-dates at least twice a week, and here they are, three months later, on their way to meet Kun and Ten.</p><p>Silence reigns in the car as Donghyuck loses himself in his giddy thoughts about Yangyang and his pretty smile and mischievous eyes, mixed with the anxiety of meeting Kun and Ten after more than half a decade. </p><p>“Hey, what’s wrong? Should I change the song?” Yangyang asks.</p><p>It takes Donghyuck a moment to break out of his daze to notice that Smooth Criminal is playing, a song he remembers telling Yangyang he doesn’t like as much. </p><p>“Oh, no, it’s fine—I’m fine,” Donghyuck says. “Just…”</p><p>“Just?” </p><p>“Just a little, um, worried,” Donghyuck mumbles sheepishly.</p><p>Yangyang frowns. “What about?”</p><p>“Kun and Ten don’t hate me, right?” Donghyuck says in a small voice.</p><p>“What?” Yangyang bursts out laughing but realizes that Donghyuck is serious. “Oh, hey, no! Why would you think that?”</p><p>“Because I was so silly back then…” Donghyuck trails off, looking away. He feels Yangyang’s hand covering his and whips his head to look at Yangyang.</p><p>“You weren’t silly, Donghyuck. And they don’t hate you,” Yangyang says kindly, squeezing his hand. “They've been nagging me to bring you over since I told them we reconnected.”</p><p>“Really?” Donghyuck perks up.</p><p>“Yeah, really,” Yangyang says, pulling his hand back. Donghyuck immediately misses the warmth of his palm. He wishes he could grab Yangyang’s hand again and hold it throughout the ride, but crushes the desire by squashing his fingers with his other hand. That’s another conversation he needs to have with Yangyang. </p><p>At the party, Yangyang had told him he’d liked him since they were kids, and he’d implied he’d like to date Yangyang. But they hadn’t broached the topic ever since and while Donghyuck knows his feelings, he doesn’t want to assume Yangyang’s, and he isn’t sure when the time would be right to bring it up.</p><p>“You’re overthinking again,” Yangyang observes. “Are you sure it isn’t something else that’s bothering you?”</p><p>“No, I’m fine!” Donghyuck is quick to reassure him.</p><p>“Sure? We don’t need to go to Kun and Ten’s if you don’t feel up to it. We can just grab dinner somewhere close by and I can drop you home?” Yangyang offers.</p><p>Donghyuck’s heart melts again. “No, I want to meet them,” he says. “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”</p><p>Despite his reassurance, Yangyang takes it upon himself to engage Donghyuck in conversation, making him laugh by sharing hilarious anecdotes about his basketball teammates. He has a ton of stories to tell about Lucas and Hendery—a pair of best friends whom everyone knows are pining for each other, except Lucas and Hendery themselves—who keep trying and failing to confess to the other and somehow get the entire team roped into their hijinks. The car ride passes peacefully interspersed with singalongs and laughter. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>7 p.m. finds them outside Kun and Ten’s apartment. Yangyang rings the doorbell and then grabs Donghyuck’s hand before Donghyuck can start panicking. “Hey,” he says. “It’ll be fine.”</p><p>Donghyuck smiles gratefully at him and laces their fingers together, making Yangyang look away to hide the blush on his cheeks. </p><p>“Oh, what do we have here?” Ten asks, leaning against the doorway, having opened the door to the sight of Donghyuck and Yangyang holding hands, one gazing to the side and the other at the floor, cheeks tinted pink.</p><p>Caught, the two drop their hands. Ten smirks, “Oh no, please, don’t be shy. This has been a long time coming.”</p><p>“Ten!” Yangyang hisses just as Kun calls out, “Ten, stop terrorizing the kids at the doorway!” </p><p>Ten rolls his eyes, throwing his head back as he calls out, “Don’t be a spoilsport, honey!”</p><p>“Don’t call me ‘honey’!” comes the answer. Ten pouts. “You can terrorize them inside the house,” Kun adds. </p><p>Ten immediately lights up and whips his head to smile brightly at the two boys and Donghyuck feels a phantom pang at Ten’s love-stricken expression. It really was never meant to be him, and yet, he can’t help but recognize how beautiful the emotion looks on Ten.</p><p>“I love that man,” Ten states dreamily.</p><p>“Yes, we know,” Yangyang huffs. “Let us in.”</p><p>“Not so easily, baby, I haven’t seen you in a month,” Ten says, opening his arms wide, effectively blocking the doorway even more. </p><p>Yangyang pretends to be annoyed. “Not your baby,” he mutters, but steps into Ten’s embrace immediately, wrapping his arms tightly around Ten’s torso. Donghyuck stands there with his hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket, feeling awkward and out-of-place.</p><p>“Okay, shoo!” Ten chirps, letting go of Yangyang to pull Donghyuck into his arms instead. </p><p>“I haven’t seen you in years,” Ten says softly, only for Donghyuck’s ears to hear. Yangyang wisely steps inside to give them privacy.</p><p>Donghyuck feels a sudden burn high up in his nose, a sure sign of tears about to roll down his cheeks. He sniffs loudly, as if pulling the imminent tears back before he can actually start crying. “I’m sorry,” he chokes out over the lump in his throat.</p><p>Ten tightens his hold around Donghyuck. “Shush, what are you apologizing for, you silly child?” he asks, fondness seeping into his kind tone.</p><p>Donghyuck really does feel like a child. He realizes this is as good a goodbye to his long-buried crush on Ten as he could possibly get, and smiles into Ten’s shoulder. He missed him.</p><p>They part. After Donghyuck steps in, Ten shuts the door behind them and slings an arm around his shoulder, directing him to where Yangyang is setting the dinner table. The kitchen is partially visible from the dining area and Donghyuck breathes in the aroma of the noodles Kun is frying, mixed with other delicious-smelling fragrances.</p><p>“I’ll go see if Kun needs any help,” Ten says. “Dinner will be served shortly, and then we can all catch up.” </p><p>Donghyuck nods and silently gets to work, helping Yangyang arrange the plates and cutlery. In his peripheral vision, he notices Ten go up to Kun and hug him from behind. Kun pauses for a moment to crane his neck and plant a kiss on Ten’s cheek, before getting back to work. Instead of letting him go, Ten begins pressing kisses up his neck. </p><p>“What are you doing?” Kun asks, annoyed.</p><p>“Helping you,” Ten says smoothly, lips grazing his ear, a promise of more to come in his voice.</p><p>Kun elbows him hard when he licks a stripe behind his ear, making Ten yelp in pain. “Go away,” Kun huffs. “You’re being a bother.”</p><p>“Gross, aren’t they?” Yangyang comments.</p><p>Donghyuck colours slightly, but laughs. “Kind of, but they’re cute together.”</p><p>Ten complains loudly about the mistreatment he receives so Kun hushes him with a firm kiss to his lips, and says, “Now be a good fiance´ and take the side dishes out.” Ten steals another kiss before doing as told.</p><p>Once the table is set and Kun has brought the food out, he greets Donghyuck and goes to hug him. Donghyuck soaks up Kun’s warmth, a smile on his face. He never told Yangyang, but being an only child, he had grown to see Kun as his own elder-brother figure as well, back then. Now, more than ever, Donghyuck wants things to go back to how they were. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>As Yangyang serves him dinner, Donghyuck realizes how famished he is, and waits a couple minutes for propriety before he begins to scarf the food down.</p><p>“Hey, hey, slow down,” Kun says after a few minutes. Donghyuck pauses, embarrassed, but realizes that Kun was speaking to Yangyang when he notices Yangyang’s half-empty plate.</p><p>“Looks like someone spent too long fretting about their date,” Ten observes, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. While Donghyuck knows it is directed at Yangyang—who whines in protest—Ten might as well be speaking to him.</p><p>“Anyway,” Yangyang states, making an effort to eat slowly. “It’s not a date.”</p><p>Oh. Donghyuck didn’t think he’d feel so disappointed to hear those words out of Yangyang’s mouth when he’d spent the whole evening telling Mark the same thing.</p><p>“Yangyang, what the fuck!” Ten cries out, scandalized. Kun places his hand atop Ten’s to calm him down. “It’s none of our business, Ten,” Kun says softly, shooting Donghyuck an apologetic look that makes him feel even worse about the situation. </p><p>“But how can he say that!” Ten argues, immediately turning to his fiancé, a frown etched on his face. </p><p>“What?” Yangyang questions, puzzled. “It’s not a date. Donghyuck knows it’s not a date. Right, Donghyuck?”</p><p>What can Donghyuck say? He nods and plasters a close-lipped smile on his face. </p><p>Kun leans in to whisper something in Ten’s ear that makes the anger on his face dissipate while he unconsciously strokes the back of Ten’s hand with his thumb. Ten turns to Kun with a smile on his face, intent on stealing a kiss, but Kun draws away playfully.</p><p>“You’re better off not dating my brother anyway, Donghyuck,” Kun says with a serene smile on his face. Yangyang chokes on the spoonful of rice he has shoved in his mouth, leading Donghyuck to thump his back a couple times.</p><p>“I told you to slow down, Yangyang,” Kun nags. </p><p>Ten fills up Yangyang’s glass of water for him, and he gulps it down, glaring at his brother over the rim. Donghyuck continues to run his hand up and down Yangyang’s back in a gentle, soothing fashion, feeling laughter bubbling up in his chest. The déjà vu of having an eventful meal with Yangyang, Kun, and Ten is so strong, so welcome, it washes away the bits and pieces of negativity Donghyuck has gathered during the day.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Over the remainder of dinner, the conversation turns to their daily lives and changes course to fond reminiscences, spilling over into dessert consisting of a decadent chocolate cake. They collectively let out blissful sighs as they taste the cake and heap praises on Kun while he smiles bashfully. </p><p>“Ah, I’m so glad I’m marrying this man,” Ten says dreamily, shoving the last piece of cake in his mouth and making sure to obscenely lick the icing off of the spoon. </p><p>Kun frowns at him. “Because of the cake?”</p><p>“Because of <em> cake </em>,” Ten grins smugly. </p><p>Yangyang pretends to throw up. It takes a moment for the sexual connotation to click in Donghyuck and Kun’s mind. Kun delivers a swift, forceful punch to Ten’s shoulder while Donghyuck hides his giggles behind his hand. He doesn’t catch Yangyang looking fondly at him.</p><p>“I should have just said no when you proposed,” Kun huffs.</p><p>Ten narrows his eyes at him while massaging his shoulder. “You did, asshole.”</p><p>Donghyuck blinks at them in shock. “Wait, what? Why?” he asks.</p><p>“Ask him,” Ten snaps, glaring at Kun, who colours even as he snorts.</p><p>“You know how Ten and Yangyang are,” Kun explains to Donghyuck, while both the aggrieved parties cry out in protest. “They ask all these outrageous questions and I know better than to engage with them, so I just say no.”</p><p>“So when I popped the question, he didn’t even look at me, just said ‘nope’ like the cold-hearted bitch he is,” Ten chimes in, melodramatically wiping imaginary tears out of the corner of his eyes. Kun tries to elbow him but Ten dodges every single time, not trying to hide his grin.</p><p>Yangyang bursts out laughing. “This cracks me up every single time!” he exclaims.</p><p>“That’s quite the story,” Donghyuck agrees, laughing. </p><p>"But I mean, can you blame me?” Kun argues. </p><p>Offended, Ten throws a flurry of punches at Kun's arm which Kun half-succeeds in blocking before he catches Ten's hands in his, tugging him closer so he nearly topples over onto Kun. Sultrily looking up at Kun through his eyelashes, Ten surges forward and captures Kun's lips with his, ignoring Yangyang's immediate cries of objection to what he calls their foreplay. Ten makes sure to close his lips around Kun's lower lip, gently sucking on it and biting down hard on it before he lets Kun go.</p><p>Kun's face is flaming, as is Donghyuck's. Yangyang stands up abruptly. Wrapping his hand around Donghyuck's wrist, he pulls him up as well.</p><p>"We're going to bed," Yangyang tells them, dragging Donghyuck along with him. Donghyuck weakly waves his hand at Kun and Ten as he follows Yangyang into the passageway leading to the guest room.</p><p>"Use protection!" Ten calls out cheekily but gets no answer. He sighs and rests his head on Kun's shoulder. "Think they'll get together tonight?" he asks.</p><p>Kun rests his head atop Ten's. "They'll come together if and when they feel the time is right, Ten."</p><p>Ten huffs. "There's no <em> right </em>time, Kun. Ever. There's only time or no time."</p><p>Kun drops a kiss on the crown of Ten's head. "I'm glad you proposed to me when you did. I might have wasted our entire lives waiting for the right time."</p><p>"I know, darling. I know you very well," Ten murmurs, lifting his head so he can look at Kun. He lets Kun shower him with affection in the form of delicate kisses pressed slowly and lovingly to his face. "Want to bet on when Yangyang and Donghyuck get together?"</p><p>"Why would I want to do that?" Kun raises an eyebrow.</p><p>"Because you love me and you like it when I win."</p><p>"What makes you think you'll win?" Kun retorts. Ten smirks, knowing his fiancé has taken the bait.</p><p>"Because I always do, Kunkun. Wanna bet?"</p><p>Kun narrows his eyes at him. "Sure. What are the stakes?"</p><p>"Hm, I'll think about it and let you know," Ten purrs, running his hands up Kun's chest and wrapping them around his neck. </p><p>"Okay," Kun agrees, because he knows regardless of whether he wins the bet or not, he is going to be a winner. So is Ten.</p><p>"A kiss to seal the deal?" Ten asks, lips brushing against Kun's. Kun answers by crushing their lips together in a bruising kiss as revenge for his bitten lip. Before Ten can get carried away, Kun separates their mouths and stands up. Ten makes grabby hands at him but Kun steps back with a smirk.</p><p>"Help me with the dishes first. Then we'll talk," he says.</p><p>Ten rolls his eyes with a smile on his face. "Baby, there's no talking happening once I get my hands on you," he leers.</p><p>"Ugh," Kun says, disgusted. "You say any more corny shit like that and you're not getting your hands on me at all." He stalks off to the kitchen. "Get the dishes," he calls out over his shoulder. Ten smiles fondly and piles the dishes on top of each other and follows Kun.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Yangyang shuts the door of the guestroom behind him with a bang and sags against it. Donghyuck takes a seat on the edge of the queen-sized bed. </p><p>“Why are they like this?” Yangyang mutters partly to himself, and partly to the universe. </p><p>What did he deserve to have a demon for a future brother-in-law whose influence turned his sensible brother into a menace? Donghyuck has an urge to laugh—having heard Yangyang’s remark—but he remains quiet. </p><p>“Oh, shit!” Yangyang hisses, wide eyes zeroing in on Donghyuck as if remembering his presence in the room. “Donghyuck, I’m so sorry!” Yangyang cries. “I didn’t think they’d be this bad.”</p><p>Donghyuck laughs, feeling both his body and mind relax. “It’s fine,” he says with a smile. “I had a lot of fun.”</p><p>“Sure you weren’t uncomfortable?” Yangyang asks, clearly worried.</p><p>“No, of course not,” Donghyuck answers, flopping back onto the bed. “I had a really great time.” He pats the empty space beside him. After a moment’s hesitation, Yangyang follows Donghyuck’s example, and lies down on the bed, keeping some distance between their bodies. Donghyuck wishes he’d shift closer.</p><p>“Mm, this feels like old times,” Donghyuck muses, softly, lost in the memories from the shared year of their childhood.</p><p>“My bed at home is comfier,” Yangyang grouses.</p><p>Donghyuck turns on his side to face Yangyang, a mischievous look on his face. “Is that an invitation?”</p><p>Yangyang blushes and turns his face away. “I didn’t—didn’t mean it like that…”</p><p>Donghyuck smiles wryly and looks up at the ceiling. “I didn’t realize how much I’d missed this…” he trails off.</p><p>“This?” Yangyang parrots.</p><p>“You, Kun, Ten. Us,” Donghyuck lists. “All of us and—and the two of us,” he adds softly.</p><p>“Oh,” Yangyang breathes. “I missed us, too,” he reveals. “A lot.” </p><p>There is silence for a long moment. Donghyuck concentrates on his heartbeat, steady and strong, as he breathes in and out deeply. With every lub-dub, he pieces together the puzzle of his and Yangyang’s relationship—their friendship, their fight, their first kiss, their reconciliation, every single moment Donghyuck has spent with Yangyang or talking or thinking about him—and realizes something he realized a month ago: he really, <em> really </em> likes Yangyang, and he really, <em> really </em> wants to kiss him.</p><p>“Yangyang,” Donghyuck says, turning on his side once again. “Do you still like me?”</p><p>Yangyang looks at him, then turns his body to face Donghyuck. Taking in a breath to calm himself, he says, “I do.” Then, his voice falters as he wonders out loud, “I think I never stopped?” </p><p>Noticing Donghyuck’s raised eyebrow, he is quick to clarify. “No, listen—I know how cheesy it sounds, but it’s literally the truth. I never got a resolution to my feelings in middle school, so they lingered and...” he trails off, eyes downcast. </p><p>“Hey,” Donghyuck says, cupping Yangyang’s cheek and tipping his chin up. “Look at me.”</p><p>“I like you a lot, Donghyuck. Please believe me,” Yangyang whispers.</p><p>“I do,” Donghyuck says. “I believe you. And I like you, too.”</p><p>Yangyang smiles the prettiest of his smiles then. Happiness is a good look on him, Donghyuck realizes. Yangyang blinks then and is surprised to find tiny teardrops clinging to his eyelashes. Donghyuck wipes them away for him, caresses Yangyang’s cheek gently.</p><p>“Haha,” Yangyang brushes it off. “I’m not crying. It’s probably just a weird, normal thing our bodies do.”</p><p>“You’re beautiful,” Donghyuck murmurs, a hint of awe in his voice. “Be my boyfriend?”</p><p>Yangyang blinks at him, his mouth falling open. “Really?” he asks shyly, a little in shock.</p><p>It is Donghyuck’s turn to feel shy. “I like you so much, Liu Yangyang. I’ve been so happy ever since we reconnected, and I just—I wish I had the right words.”</p><p>“I think the right words you’re looking for are, ‘Yes, I’ll be your boyfriend.’” Yangyang smirks, the adrenaline coursing through his veins making him feel lightheaded and drunk on sheer happiness.</p><p>Donghyuck leans in on an impulse, the kiss once again landing on the corner of Yangyang’s mouth, just the way it did the first time at the club when Donghyuck was drunk and dizzy. And just like the first time, Yangyang snakes an arm around Donghyuck’s waist, drawing him closer as he presses his lips to Donghyuck’s in a soft, sweet kiss.</p><p>“I think there’s more we need to talk about,” Yangyang whispers against his boyfriend’s—<em>boyfriend!</em>—lips.</p><p>“Mm,” Donghyuck hums. “I agree. But we can talk in the morning.”</p><p>Yangyang’s promise is a kiss and Donghyuck shifts even closer, pressing their chests together, hand travelling from Yangyang’s cheek to the back of his head to play with the hair brushing the nape of his neck. He feels like he is melting, wants to meld with Yangyang completely until they are one entity.</p><p>They kiss and kiss until they can kiss no more because their eyes are heavy with sleep and their lips are swollen. The knowledge that once morning comes—and the next, and the next, until whenever—they’ll be able to hold and kiss each other again makes their parting sweeter.</p><p>They get changed into Yangyang’s spare clothes and get into bed, huddling close together. Face buried in the crook of Donghyuck’s neck, with Donghyuck’s arm slung across the small of his back, Yangyang is quick to fall asleep. Donghyuck smiles fondly at him, heart close to bursting, and remembers the important action he needs to take.</p><p>Donghyuck feels about for his phone on the bed, careful not to disturb Yangyang’s sleeping form. Once he finds his phone, he opens his chat with Mark and types one-handed: <em> It was a date. </em></p><p>He falls asleep before he can read Mark’s triumphant <em>‘I told you so!’</em></p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, hi! While 'strange things' is self-contained, I wanted to add an additional getting-together story for HyuckYang (because they seem to be getting along so well!)</p><p>Do tell me what you think!</p><p>My <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/gummieistrying">twt</a>; my <a href="https://curiouscat.qa/gummieistrying">cc</a>.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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